Clutch.



No. 7o'o,4|2. Patented may 2o, |902.

M. H. FISCHER.

cLuTcH. {Applied-inn Ied-Sept. 24, 1901.)v (No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAX H. FISCHER, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 700,412, dated May 20,1902.

Application filed September 24, 1901.. Serial No. 76,366. (No model.) ln,

To all whom timmy concern:

Be it known that I, MAXH. FISCHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have inventednew and useful Improvements in Clutches, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to a clutch which is intendedto permit the free movement of a rod, bar, or the like length -wise inone direction -relative to the clutch and to prevent the movement of therod or bar in the opposite direction. The clutch is useful as a meansfor lockinga rod or bar in a socket or surrounding member so as topermit the insertion of the bar into the socket,l

but prevent the withdrawalof the rod or bar from its socket withoutreleasing the clutch.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple clutch device forthedescribed purpose which will ybe strong and durable, which -will actquickly to positively grip and hold the rod or bar, and which can beeasily operated to release the rod or bar.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a longitudinal sectional viewof a clutch, illustrating my invention and showing the normal positionof the parts. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position of the partswhen a rod, bar, or the like is gripped by the clutch. Fig. 3 is atransverse sectional view in line 3 3, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a similar viewin line 4 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is, alongitudinal section of a modified formof the clutch. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view in line 6 6, Fig.5. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 5. g

Like letters of reference refer to klike parts in the several figures.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, A represents the inclosingcasing or holder for the several parts of the clutch. The casing shownin said figures is in the fo'rm of a hollow cylinder havingcentrallyarranged in one end a hole a, the outer portion of which ispreferably enlarged or 'iiared topermit the vmore ready insertiontherein of the rod'or bar B. The opposite end of the casingis providedwith an external screw-thread for the engagement of a screw-cap A',which is made removable for the purpose of assembling and removing theparts of the clutch. The cas-r ing is provided with an internal conicalface a', which tapers toward the hole a in the end' of the casing andvthe smallestdiameter of which is preferably larger than the diameter ofthe hole ainorder toprovide a shoulder or face ft2. |The conicalface isnot essential, as one or more inclined faces will serve the purpose. Cindicates a spring-pressed carrier, which is provided with a centralbore or hole c, which is alined with and of substantially the samediameter as the hole ot in the end of the casing. The carrier is alsoprovided with lateral holes or pockets c', intersecting the bore c andin which are confined gripping devices d, which ride on the conical facealand are of a size sufficient to protrude from the pockets into thebore c when thek springpressed carrier forces them toward the small endof the conical face f ce. Any suitable spring may be employed for movingthe carrier forward, a coil-spring E being shown arranged between thescrew-cap A andthe inner end c2`of the carrier. The shape of the carrieris immaterial, though that shown, which is truste-conical, isdesirable,inasmuch as the base of the cone slides on the inner wall ofthe casing and is guided thereby. The number and shape of the grippingde- -vices may be varied,three spheres or balls 'A' andvis providedatits outerY end vwith a knob or head c4. The bore of the stem forms aAcontinuation of the bore c of the carrier and may, if desired, extendentirely through the stem, as shown, so as to permit `the use ofthe lclutch on a long rod or bar betweenfits ends.

The operation ofthe clutch is substantially as follows: Assuming theparts to be in their normal position, (shown in Fig. 1,) withV thecarrier pressed against the shoulder a2 and IOC the gripping deviceprotruding into the bore Y c of the carrier, when the end of the rod orbar B is inserted through the opening ct into the carrier its passagewill be obstructed by the protruding gripping devices. By pushing on therod the gripping devices and carrier are moved against the action of thespring E, and the gripping devices are permitted to recede into thepockets, into which they are forced by the rod or bar B, which is thenpermitted to slide past the gripping devices. When it is attempted tomove the rod or bar in the opposite direction, the gripping devices,which are held in engagement with the sides of the rod by thespring-pressed carrier tending to move them on the conical face et',will by reason of their frictional contact with the rod be drawn alongthe conical face a', t0- Ward the small end thereof, and will Wedgetightly between the rod or bar and the conical face a', thus etfectuallyholding the rod or bar against movement in that direction.

The construction of the device shown in Figs. 5 to 7 shows the clutchslightly modified and more especially adapted for use in connection witha iiat or thin bar or strip. In said Figs. 5 to 7 the casing A2 isrectangular in cross-section and is provided with a narrow opening ai inone end, through which the bar or strip B is adapted to be inserted intothe opening c5 in the carrier c, which is provided with elongatedrollers d confined in pockets in the carrier and working againstinclined faces cui on the casing. a liat spring located between the rearend of the casing and the rear end of the carrier for holding thecarrier forward in its normal position. Z indicates the operating-stein,which is shown to project from one side of the carrier out through aslot in one side of the casing. The operation of the clutch shown inFigs. 5 to 7 is substantially the same as that of the device shown inFigs. l to at.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination with a stationary mem- 7cindicates ber, of a carrier movable longitudinally relative to saidstationary member, a gripping device carried by said carrier and movabletransversely of the line of movement of the carrier, and a part on saidstationary member for moving said gripping device transversely,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a casing having an inclined face, of a carrierin said casing, a spring for moving the same in one direction,anoperating device for` moving the same against the action of said spring,and a gripping device carried by said carrier and moved by said inclinedface transversely of the line of movement of said carrier, substantiallyas set forth.

3. The combination with a casing having a hole in one end and aninclined face, of a spring-pressed carrier in said casing having a boreor hole in alinement with the hole in the end of the casing, and pocketsintersecting with said bore, gripping devices confined in said pocketsand working ou said inclined face, and an operating part for saidcarrier, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination with a casing having a hole in one end and a conicalinternal face, of a carrier in said casing having a bore or hole inalinement with the hole in the end of the casing and pocketsintersecting with said bore, an operating-stern for said carrierprojecting through an opening in the opposite end of the casing andhaving a hole alined with the bore in the carrier, and a coil-springsurrounding said stem and confined between the carrier and the end ofthe casing, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 17th day of August, 1901.

MAX Il. FISCHER.

Witnesses:

C. B. HGRNBECK, JNo. J. BONNER.

